Samuel d



(No Model.)

S. D. WEBB. THILL COUPLING.

Patented Hg. 12, 1890.

llllm MW. 4 W

mimnnn UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL D. WEBB, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES A. SHIELDS, TRUSTEE, OF SAME PLACE.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,308, dated August 12, 1890.

Application filed May 29,1890. Serial No. 353,626. (No model.) d

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL D. WEBB, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Washington, in the District of O0- lumbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Oouplings,of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to thill-couplings; and it has for its object the production of simple and effective means for holding the thills in either a horizontal or an elevated position, and also for preventing rattling of the coupling.

The invention will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and then pointed out in the claim.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of so much of a vehicle as is necessary to show my improved thill-coupling. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same partly in section.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the axle ofavehicle, and B a clip secured thereon by means of nuts I) and a Washer-plate b, the clip being provided with the usual lugs b 0 is a thill-iron bolted to thill D and coupled to the'clip by abolt d, passed loosely through its eye 0 and through the lugs b on the clip. As will be seen in the drawings, the eye 0 of the thill-iron is cylindrical in shape, and in its under side is formed a series of transverse grooves 2 3 of equal depth and extending the full width of the eye. As the eye is cylindrical, it follows that these grooves are all an equal distance radially from the center of the e e.

E represents a plate-spring interposed between the washer-plate and the axle. On the outer end of this spring, upon its upper side and preferablyin vertical alignment with the bolt (1, which connects the t-hill-iron to the clip, there is a rounded rib 6, adapted to e11- gage with the grooves in the eye of the thilliron, as clearly shown in the drawings,wherein the spring is shown as in engagement with groove 2, holding the thills in a horizontal position, ready for the horse to be backed into them. Now when it is desired to elevate the thills it is only necessary to exert a slight upward lift upon them, when the groove 3 will be brought around into position to be engaged by the spring. The purpose of groove 1 is to receive'the spring, and thereby relieve it of strain when the front ends of the thills are down to the ground. By placing the engaging end of the spring in vertical alignment with the coupling-bolt the leverage upon the spring is reduced to the minimum, and as the spring extends entirely across the eye and bears against it with slight pressure the coupling is prevented from rattling.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a shill-coupling, the combination, with an axle and aclip provided with lugs secured upon the axle, of a thill-iron having a cylindrical eye, in whose lower side is formed a series of transverse grooves, a bolt securing the thill-iron in the lugs on the clip, and a platespring secured to the under side of the axle and'provided with a rib in vertical alignment with said bolt for engagment with either of the grooves in the eye of the thill-iron, for the 7 5 purposes stated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL D. YVEBB.

Witnesses:

WVM. HUNTER MYERS, G. W. BALLOCH. 

